A Forum for Orthodox Jewish thought on Halacha, Hashkafa, and the social issues of our time.

Monday, August 04, 2014

When Don't They Leave Us Alone?

Scene this morning on Shmuel HaNavi Street where an Avreich was killed (TOI)

I am tired of the angst. I so badly wanted to change the
subject today and talk about other important issues that affect the Jewish
people. But my angst is nothing compared to what the people of Israel are going
through. On this, the Eve of Tisha B’Av it is almost impossible for me to put it
aside.

Throughout history, the ninth day of the month of Av on the
Hebrew calendar has been one of great tragedy. Aside for the 2 events for which
this day was established, the destruction of the 1st and 2nd
Temples there are a number of very significant tragedies that have occurred on or
about this day. Among them:

The Meraglim (spies) came back with their bad reports about
the land of Israel.

The Romans destroyed the Bar Kochba revolt on that day.

The ruins of the 2nd Temple were plowed under by
the Romans on that day

The First Crusade that eventually killed over a million of
us began on that day.

We were expelled from England on that day in 1290.

We were expelled from Spain in 1492 (on the 7th
of Av).

The decress of Tach v’Tat (the Chmelniczki massacres of Jewish
people) in 1648 were made on that day.

Approval by the Nazi Party to proceede with ‘Final Solution’ was received by
Himmler on that day in 1941.

Needless to say what is going on in Israel now makes me
worry about tomorrow.

This morning there were 2 attacks in Jerusalem by Arab
terrorists. One took place just a few hundred feet from Yeshivas Mir. From Arutz Sheva:

A tractor slammed into a bus in Jerusalem at around 1:40 pm
Monday in a terrorist attack, killing one person and injuring six others…

A 25-year-old manת,
a hareidi kollel student, has been killed, after Magen David Adom (MDA) medics
declared him dead at the scene.

The attack occurred on Zachs and Shmuel HaNavi street near
the traffic circle outside the Zvill Beit Medrash and one block from the Olive
Tree Hotel. Witnesses there reported that the tractor driver rammed a
bus and that the event did not seem like an accident.

I know this place well. It is where students from the
Yeshiva wait for the bus. The Zvill Beit Medrash is where my oldest grandson
had his bris 16 years ago. Zvill is about a 5 minute walk from Mir Yeshiva.
Where my son gives a Chabura twice a week and where he is the Shoel U’Meishiv
in their ‘Beis Yeshaya’ Beis Hamdrash for American students.

An Avreich was killed. My heart goes out to the family of
that young man. But it could have easily been my son.

I don’t understand. The most dedicated Jews in the world
live in Israel. Charedi Jews find the atmosphere for Torah study to be greatest
in the holy land. Avira D’Ara Machkim. The very air of Israel makes one wise.
The intense level of Torah study in Israel has (as a whole) no peers. Charedim
are in the forefront of such study.

Religious Zionist are among the most idealistic Jews among
us. Especially those who make Aliyah (emigrate) to Israel from their comfortable lives in the
US, Canada, and the British Empire.

Even without the threat of war, sacrifices are made to live
there.

The cultural differences are not insignificant.

The language barriers are
not all that easy to overcome. Learning a new language is not all that easy… at
least not for everyone.

Military service - where one can easily put in harm’s
way is mandatory. Whereas in the US (et al) it is voluntary.

There is the infamous Israeli bureaucracy to deal with.

And yet despite all of these obstacles, both Charedim and
Religious Zionists have chosen to live under these conditions. Their values trump
the cultural challenges - and all the rest. Add to that the
dangers of living in a country where your neighbors want to annihilate you… and
try to do so every few years with rocket attacks, kidnappings and suicide
missions… well, those who make Aliya are in a class by themselves. They are idealists with few peers.

And they are the ones who now suffer. I don’t get it. Why
does God punish the most idealistic among us? This is the ancient conundrum of theodicy - Tzadik V’Ra Lo. Why do bad
things happen to good people?!

What is the solution to the extreme hatred our enemies have
for us? Hamas and other Jihadist groups are just vehicles for the hatred. It is
sourced mostly in extremist Islamist fervor – which seems to be increasing
world-wide. Even if Israel committed genocide and carpet bombed Gaza killing
millions of innocent people along with the guilty… You can kill a people. But you can’t kill an idea. Is Israel doomed
to live like this permanently until the messianic era?

Follow by Email

Followers

Recent Comments

About Me

My outlook on Judaism is based mostly on the teachings of my primary Rebbe, Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik from whom I received my rabbinic ordination. It is also based on a search for spiritual truth. Among the various sources that put me on the right path, two great philosophic works stand out: “Halakhic Man” and “Lonely Man of Faith” authored by the pre-eminent Jewish philosopher and theologian, Rabbi, Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Of great significance is Rabbi, Dr. Norman Lamm's conceptualization and models of Torah U’Mada and Dr. Eliezer Berkovits who introduced me to the world of philosophic thought. Among my early influences were two pioneers of American Elementary Torah Chinuch, Rabbis Shmuel Kaufman and Yaakov Levi. The Yeshivos I attended were Yeshivas Telshe for early high school and more significantly, the Hebrew Theological College where for a period of ten years, my Rebbeim included such great Rabbinic figures as Rabbis Mordechai Rogov, Shmaryahu Meltzer, Yaakov Perlow, Herzl Kaplan, and Selig Starr. I also attended Roosevelt University where I received my Bachelor's Degree - majoring in Psychology.